Subtext
by KNO
Summary: Alternate Universe. Fame brings with it its own devils. A NejiTen story.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N at the bottom._

**Disclaimer:** All characters are Masashi Kishimoto's. I'm just playing house.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Part I: Curtain Up<strong>_

"Why did you do that, Kazuki?! You could have gotten arrested!"

"Kazuki" looks at her from the couch, and Tenten can tell that he is so over this scene already. Still, he flawlessly delivers his line, with just the right amount of angst, "They wouldn't have arrested me—because I'm one of them."

The set lights extinguish and there are gasps and claps from the live audience, and then she and her costar are bowing and waving and smiling at the crowd (mostly girls) before being joined by the rest of the cast. They bow once again, and then walk offstage to the back of the studio where their dressing rooms are.

Neji lags behind the rest of the chatty group of stars, taking his time. Tenten turns to him, irritated.

"You could have at least tried to act like you care," she snipes, eyes narrowing.

Neji looks down at her and raises his eyebrows, but says nothing. As usual. A small smirk settles at the corner of his mouth.

He stops and crosses his arms, waiting. Tenten copies him, her foot tapping impatiently on the carpet.

"Who says I don't care?" Neji asks, the angst from his voice gone, replaced by his characteristically soft and deep pitch.

Tenten glares at him and gestures wildly back to the stage down the hallway.

"You totally blew that last scene," she accuses.

Neji's smirk deepens, but he leans against the wall, patient.

"The audience had no complaints. And I doubt the producers will either. The only one who seems to have issue is you."

Tenten rolls her eyes and says offhandedly, "Well, I'm the one who has to deal with you the most, so what do they know?"

Neji shakes his head at her, mocking smile in such firm place that Tenten wants to smack it off his mouth.

"This isn't about me," he says.

Tenten lifts an eyebrow in challenge. "Oh? Well, enlighten me, then, what is it about, Hyuga?"

"This is about the writers giving you an eating disorder."

Tenten clenches her fists, and she goes from lightly irritated to livid in a space of two seconds.

"Don't. Talk. To. Me."

She spins on her heel and heads for her dressing room, still able to make out Neji's soft chuckle as she rounds the corner.

* * *

><p>Tenten got hired for <em>High School Crisis<em> when she was seventeen. She'd been a bright-eyed entertainer at that time, with several commercials and a made-for-television movie under her belt. A television drama series was her natural next step. But that had been three years ago.

Her character on the show was a classic good girl, but that definitely didn't stop her from dating "bad boy" Kazuki, AKA her costar. In the show, Kazuki was pretty messed up—drug dealer/user, but since dating her character "Yori", he'd cleaned up, gone to rehab, etc. Apparently he was now working with the cops to bust up his previous drug ring—a complete shocker of a season finale.

But Tenten had bigger problems.

She stares at her reflection as she brushes out her hair, still reeling from Neji's comment.

Her character's predicament was no secret anymore—the writers had unveiled next season's storyline just the other day to the cast.

And what was going to happen to Yori? An eating disorder.

Tenten was angry enough to quit. But her contract wasn't up for renewal until the end of the next season.

Tenten broods, cursing Neji for bringing it up, for seeing through her so easily. Sure, they'd been basically paired with each other on-screen since the very beginning, but reality looked a lot different.

The thing was that Neji didn't even want to be an actor; he was just naturally good at it. Which made Tenten decide from the get-go that they would never, ever get along. The story was that his parents were dead, and that he was under the authority of his family. Apparently Neji had been in some grade school play and a talent agent had happened to be in the audience. After the performance, Neji's uncle was approached, and signed Neji on to do commercial after commercial, before moving onto movies and television roles. He was Japan's beloved star. His face was everywhere.

_Except he doesn't care for it in the slightest_, Tenten thinks bitterly as she charges out of her room, headed to the parking lot. _He could quit today, crush the whole country, and he would be completely fine with it._

She spots him on the way to the car idling for her, standing outside, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun. He turns and watches her get into the car, a phone clamped to his ear. Tenten ignores him, annoyed beyond reason.

As the car pulls away, she notices he's still focused on the car. Tenten rolls down the window and shows him her middle finger. She smiles, satisfied.

* * *

><p>She doesn't see her costar for a few days because of the show break, but she runs into him at a studio party at the end of the week. He looks nice, dressed cleanly in a low-key suit per his manager's request. Tenten absently smoothes a hand over her own dress—cream chiffon cropped at her knees, completely not her style. But they all had their images to maintain.<p>

He catches her eye from across the room, but Tenten distinctly ignores him, going over to greet one of her makeup artists.

A few minutes later, there is a tap on her shoulder, and a voice in her ear says, "I need to speak with you."

Tenten turns and stares at her on-screen love interest, disbelieving. Neji is already retreating, leading the way to the stairwell. Curious, she follows.

When Tenten reaches the stairs, she sees that Neji is already on his way to the top.

"Come on," he calls down.

Compelled, Tenten obliges. He waits for her at the top, holding the roof door open for her to exit.

It's a lovely night, if not a little breezy. Tenten crosses her arms.

"What do you want, Hyuga?"

Neji steps on the edge of the roof, looking down at the street below. "I pulled some strings."

Tenten shakes her head, already tired of whatever game he's playing.

"Pulled some strings for what?"

"For whom," Neji corrects, glancing at her. "For you."

Tenten's forehead wrinkles. "What are you talking about?"

Neji steps down from the edge and faces her. "The writers will rewrite the part about giving Yori an eating disorder next season," he says.

Tenten lifts an eyebrow in surprise.

"What makes you think they'll do that?"

"Because I made them," Neji answers simply, with a small shrug of his shoulders.

Tenten laughs. "You're not serious."

Neji tilts his head at her in consideration. A smile is itching along his mouth.

"Why do you think that?" he asks her, interest in his voice.

"Because! You're just some star of a television show. Who are you to tell the writers what to do?"

"Well," Neji begins, smirking, "considering I've been in the business for so long, and I have such a large fan base, it's pretty easy to persuade people to my thinking—even the writers."

Tenten hugs her body, wondering if this is a joke or not. But he wouldn't have dragged her all the way up here if it were some scam—he would have wanted other people to see her embarrassed reaction, right? Unless he just wanted to delight in the pleasure of it himself.

"It took some convincing," continues Neji, "but after a few autographs and a few pictures, well, they could hardly say no."

"You're serious, aren't you?" says Tenten, still having a difficult time believing him.

Neji shrugs again, and looks out over the city's lit-up skyline. "It would mess with the little character development they've already given Yori. If they wrote that for her, it would just blow up in their faces."

Tenten shakes her head slightly in wonder. "Who are you?" she asks.

Neji looks back at her. "What?"

Tenten gestures to his person. "This. What is this? You just saved my character for me. Why?"

"I already told you. Yori's character development—"

Tenten waves this away in dismissal, staring hard at her costar.

"Thank you, Neji. Really. I don't know what I can to do to thank you."

Neji walks over to her and grasps her hand. He makes eye contact with her as he curls her fingers into a fist.

"Keep your rude gestures to yourself," he whispers, raising an eyebrow. He brushes past her, back down the stairs to rejoin the partiers.

Tenten feels rooted to her spot, still feeling the intensity of his gaze. She wonders how someone she's known for three years, however impersonally, could make her feel so happy but so small in the same second.

* * *

><p>She decides to bring him coffee, because she quickly realizes that she really won't ever be able to repay him for what he's done for her, but she'll be damned if she doesn't try.<p>

She finds him in his dressing room, getting ready for the promotion pictures for next season. Kazuki's trademark leather jacket hangs off his makeup chair. Neji is still dressed in his street clothes.

"Here," she says, offering the drink to him.

Neji glances between the cup then back to her, before returning to getting ready.

"No, thank you."

Tenten stares at him. She's trying to be nice, here. "Why not?" she demands.

"I don't drink coffee."

"Oh," Tenten replies, sighing. She sinks into his makeup chair and sips the coffee she had meant for him. "What a shame."

She hears Neji emit a small chuckle in his throat, and it brings a smile to her lips. She turns her attention to his station, but it is absent of most of the products that line hers. On his, there is a taped down schedule, a few photographs of his family, and several collegiate-looking textbooks.

Tenten pulls one over to her and examines it. On the inside, Neji's name is inscribed in neat-looking print.

She casts a glance at him—he is assessing the outfit they want him to wear for the shoot.

"Are you taking college classes?" she asks, incredulous.

Neji's gaze flits to the book in her hands. Sheepishly, he nods.

"What? How did I not know this? How did you keep this away from the press?"

Neji comes and takes the book from her hands, flipping through the pages absentmindedly.

"I have a very good publicist," he responds with a smirk.

"Clearly," Tenten retorts, shaking her head. "You've kept this from everyone. How do you even manage it?"

"Not everyone. The studio heads know, because they have to." Neji places the book back on the tabletop. "I have a very flexible schedule. I go to class when I have to, but otherwise I just do the work and turn it in online."

"What are you studying?"

"Physics."

Tenten stares at him. "You're kidding."

Neji shakes his head.

Her brow furrows. "Why are you studying science? Shouldn't you be studying theatre? Or literature?"

Neji shrugs and goes back to the outfit on the hanger. "I like science. Now, you should probably go get ready. We're first in line for couple shots."

Tenten obediently leaves, sipping the coffee meant for Neji in confusion.

* * *

><p>"Tenten, it's Shizune."<p>

Tenten sinks into her bed. She's only just gotten home.

"Hi," she tells her publicist. "What's up?"

"Hyuga Neji wants you as his date to some function this weekend."

Tenten stares at the ceiling, her mouth popping open in surprise. "_What?_"

"I know, weird, huh? He never takes dates to press functions usually, but I guess he's wanting to put on a good face for the show. He's ending his contract after next season, you know."

Tenten sits up. "What? No, I didn't know that! He's ending his contract?!"

"Yes, Iruka told me this morning when he called with Neji's request. Anyway, we're getting ahead of ourselves. The function is on Saturday, and you're free. Do you want to go?"

She taps her fingers against her thigh, trying to figure out her costar's motive.

"Yeah, I'll go," she tells Shizune, eyes narrowing.

* * *

><p>The event that Neji invited her to was some ritzy affair recognizing some director that Tenten had only heard of and never met. Apparently Neji had worked with him when he was a little younger.<p>

She sits facing him in the chauffeured car, analyzing. Neji stares back, unperturbed, drinking water from a bottle.

It had been everyone's idea that they should arrive together, since Neji had formally asked Tenten be his date to the event. Though Tenten wasn't so sure this wasn't also a press stunt they weren't telling her about.

"Why are you staring?" he asks, tilting his head at her.

Tenten had decided that she likes this gesture of his—it makes her think that he's inclining his ear to catch every word she might say.

"I'm trying to figure out why you put me in this situation with you."

Neji's expression remains flat. "Let me know when you come to a conclusion," he says, looking out the window of the car.

"You could tell me," Tenten replies, pushing her bangs to the side. Her hands come away sticky from the hairspray.

"Ah, but you didn't ask," Neji responds, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Why did you ask me?"

"I can't take my onscreen love interest out on a date without a reason? What is this world coming to?" Neji says, his tone ten layers of sarcasm. He sobers and gives her a more straightforward answer, "Good publicity."

Tenten rolls her eyes and leans back into the plush leather of the seat.

"I knew it." She eyes him coldly. "Shizune told me you're bailing."

"Bailing is a bad choice of words. I'm making a creative decision."

"Or, you're abandoning me," Tenten adds, pressing her fingers to her forehead. She's getting a headache.

Neji gazes at her. "I'm not abandoning you. Your contract is up the same time mine is. Just quit."

"I can't just quit. I don't have your kind of leverage." _Or experience_, she thinks to herself.

Neji taps his finger against the armrest, lifting an eyebrow. "You have more control over your circumstances than you think."

"Not like you," Tenten says bitterly, crossing her arms.

Neji shakes his head.

"That's not true. You're a good actress. Which is why the studio wants to keep you. But it's up to you if you let them."

Tenten looks at him, mystified. "What are you—?"

"We're here," interrupts Neji.

And so they are. Tenten is blinded by the camera flashes and she hasn't even left the car yet.

"Come here," Neji says.

Tenten scoots beside him, and Neji gives her a measured once-over before opening the door.

* * *

><p>When they get inside, Tenten is still reeling from the paparazzi. The press had had a field day with she and Neji showing up together.<p>

"We're going to be all over the Internet in a matter of seconds," she comments as Neji escorts her to their table.

Neji doesn't answer as he pulls out her chair for her, and takes the seat to her right. He greets the other invitees at their table and introduces them to Tenten. The wife of a well-known writer strikes up a conversation with them and keeps Tenten talking until the lights go down.

The event starts off with a brief short film documenting the honorary director and his films. Then everyone is served dinner, while music is played.

When dessert is being passed around, Neji rises from his chair. Tenten shoots him a look. "Where are you going?"

Neji raises an eyebrow and gestures to the stage. "I'm up."

Tenten gapes at him, and Neji walks away, imparting a sly grin as he turns his back to her.

True enough, when the lights go down again, Neji is standing on stage holding a microphone.

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Hyuga Neji, and I had the great privilege of working with Mizuki-sempai several years ago on a film called _The King's Brother_, which won many accolades and awards. During the filming, this revered director treated me with such kindness and favor. He taught me so much about film and acting and communication. Our friendship has continued over the years, and I am honored I can call him a dear friend of mine. Thank you, sempai, for everything." Neji bows deeply to the director, who comes up on stage, and hugs him.

Tenten is confounded.

Later, as they're getting into the car, the cameras flashing in their face, Tenten asks again, "Who are you?"

Neji shuts the door behind them, looking at her quizzically.

"What are you talking about?"

Tenten gestures to the building as the car pulls away. "What was _that_?"

His sly smile is back in place.

"What?"

Tenten shakes her head, and reclines in her seat.

"Mizuki is a good friend of mine," Neji says simply. "I was asked to pay tribute, so I did."

Tenten stares at him. "You're so—I don't even know. We've worked together for three years, and I'm beginning to realize that I don't know anything about you. And I'm not sure anybody does."

Neji stares back at her, and Tenten watches as he calculates. He leans forward, and Tenten can see him clearly in the dim light of the car.

"I think you'll find out that you and I aren't so different, and that you know me better than you think you do."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Neji sits back, and his face is cast again into darkness. "You hate me," Neji states.

Tenten's forehead wrinkles in confusion.

"No, I don't," she protests.

She hears him laugh a little.

"Are you sure? The only times you ever talk to me is when you're upset with me or when we're doing the show. Sure seems like you hate me."

"I don't. . . Hate is a strong word," Tenten mutters, fiddling with her dress.

She can feel Neji's smile, rather than see it.

"I'm not as bad as you think," Neji responds. "I think you just have a wrong impression."

Tenten is silent for the rest of the ride home. When the car stops, Neji opens the door and gets out. He walks her up to the lobby of her apartment building, but she pauses, not wanting to go inside yet.

They consider each other quietly.

"It's not polite to stare," Neji informs her softly.

Tenten glares at him. "Then stop staring," she retorts.

Neji sighs, and glances into the lobby. Tenten watches his face, wondering why she feels nervous.

"Thank you," she says.

Neji looks back at her, his expression confused.

"For tonight. Thank you," she clarifies.

He turns away with a nod, and Tenten goes inside. Before she even reaches suite, her phone buzzes with a text. It's from Neji.

_Don't go on the Internet—save yourself the trouble._

Though this tempts her to look, Tenten decides it's better to obey rather than rebel this time. She enters her empty apartment and slides the lock into place. Her phone buzzes again.

_Also, you looked lovely tonight._

Tenten feels a blush dust her cheeks.

* * *

><p>The next time Tenten walks out her door, she's swamped by paparazzi asking her for details on her supposed relationship with Hyuga Neji.<p>

Tenten says nothing, and calls Shizune when she gets in the car. Before she can say a word, her publicist says, "I know; I'm already handling it."

She frowns, displeased by the men with cameras crowding her car.

"This is a problem, Shizune."

"I know, Tenten. Just trust me."

Tenten hangs up the phone, not appeased in the slightest.

Today she has some auditions, and Tenten is waiting to be seen when her phone buzzes. Another text from Neji.

She hadn't responded to his text from the other night—she hadn't known what to say.

_Are you getting hounded too?_

Tenten smiles.

**Yes, as soon as I walked out of my building. You?**

_I was at a press interview and they ambushed me. How are you doing?_

**Fine. It's just annoying, that's all.**

He texts back, _I guess it is my fault. Sorry._

Tenten pauses, hearing her name called. She goes in for her audition. When she exits, another text from Neji is waiting on her.

_How can I make it up to you?_

Tenten bites her lip, inquisitive.

**You can't. You've brought suffering on both of us just so you'd have a date for some function. Now we just have to deal with the consequences.**

She can imagine him smiling. _When I asked, I didn't realize you would be so much trouble._

**You've known me for three years, and you hadn't realized that already?**

On her way to her next audition, he responds, _Beginner's mistake._

Tenten isn't sure what he means by that, but she grins anyway.

* * *

><p>A week later, she texts him, just because.<p>

**What are you doing?**

_I'm actually in class. You?_

**Just looking over scripts. How do you even go to class? Wouldn't all the students tell on you?**

_I don't meet with other students. I have private lessons with my professors. Saves me time and a headache. And pictures._

**Well, look at you. Special treatment, much?**

_I deserve it._

Tenten smiles, but she's not certain if he's kidding or not.

A half hour later, he texts, _Did you want to get lunch?_

Tenten responds, **Yes.**

* * *

><p>The paparazzi are still tracking them, so Tenten meets Neji at an inconspicuous restaurant near the outskirts of the city, close to his university. It is after lunch hour, so the restaurant is hardly crowded, though it looks like it sees little business regardless.<p>

After ordering, Neji asks, "Why haven't you thought about going to school?"

Tenten twirls her straw in her water, thinking.

"Who has the time? I have all of these commitments."

Neji gestures to himself. "Didn't stop me."

Tenten rolls her eyes. "Well, you can do anything, or so it seems."

Neji dismisses this. "What's the real reason?" he presses.

Tenten half shrugs. "I just—school's not for me, you know? I do a lot better with practical knowledge. Which I learn by landing jobs. I just never really had a need for a degree."

She runs her fingertips across her glass, hoping he didn't think she was stupid.

"I understand," Neji says, inclining his head to her. "My parents never went to university. I'm the first of my immediate family."

Tenten cocks her head at him, curiosity twisting around her brain.

"Your parents have passed on, right?" she inquires softly.

Neji nods. "Car accident when I was a toddler."

"Oh."

He goes on, noting the interest on her face, "I've lived with my uncle and his family since then. They're all educated. They wouldn't have expected anything less from me."

"Even with all your success? You've done so much already, though."

Neji's mouth is tight. "Not enough, I'm afraid." He lifts his eyebrows. "But it doesn't matter. I like going to university, so it doesn't really matter."

She shakes her head at him. "The next thing you're going to tell me is that you're also a superhero and you're just off the clock right now."

Neji smirks. "Who told you?"

* * *

><p>Tenten doesn't know how it happens, but she and Neji end up spending the rest of the day together. After lunch Neji takes her on a discreet tour of his nearby school, though they have to dodge a few students.<p>

They get dinner, which leads to a car ride back to her building. There are still some paparazzi lingering, so Neji escorts her to the back entrance, deciding to walk her to her door to make sure she arrives without being harassed.

Neji leans against the wall as Tenten unlocks her apartment door, but she doesn't go in yet, glancing up at him.

"Thanks, for today," she says, wondering what conclusions he's drawing about her.

"You don't have to thank me for that," he responds. "I enjoy being with you."

Tenten purses her mouth. "I'm not so sure. It only took us three years to do this. What stopped you from asking before?"

"I think we were on different paths then . . . but now, I don't know," answers Neji, studying her with a guarded expression. "And you have never been keen on me."

"It's because you're a showoff," Tenten informs. "No one wants to be around someone who is good at everything."

"You're making an assumption." Neji's mouth sinks into a half frown. "I'm not good at everything."

"Name one thing you're not good at," she challenges.

She feels naked beneath his sweeping gaze.

"I'm not good at you," Neji says quietly. "Never have been, probably never will."

Tenten's eyes narrow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Neji shifts, his eyes leaving her to glance around the hallway. "It means that you're right. You keep saying that we've known each other for three years, which is true. But neither of us has been very . . . intent on communicating with the other." His focus finds his way back to her. "I'm regretting that now."

Tenten feels herself move a little closer to him, though she can't remember making that decision. It's like he's magnetic.

"Why is that?"

Neji stares at her seriously, no trace of a smirk to be seen.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asks.

Tenten is silent, wishing her heartbeat would calm down.

"I want to kiss you," Neji says, waiting.

"Okay," Tenten responds, her fingers itching to touch him.

A corner of his mouth lifts, a fleeting look of embarrassment crossing his face.

"May I?"

Tenten feels herself nod. Neji's hand gently comes to rest on her neck, moving up to grasp her chin. He places his lips against hers, and Tenten is dimly aware of her hands coming to rest on his chest.

She's kissed him multiple times before, of course. Playing one of the most popular television couples means that romantic showmanship was something they had to learn to participate in early on in their careers with each other. But they have never kissed like this before.

As Kazuki, Neji had almost always been the one to initiate first. Kazuki kissed aggressively, with his hands grasping her waist and pulling her close. _Passionately, possessively_, is what the script always instructed. For her part, Yori was always very tame and innocent—all pecks on the cheek and hands on the shoulders and soft giggles.

But this kiss is so different from all of the ones they have shared onscreen. Neji kisses her slowly, relishing the way her bottom lip rolls between his lips, moving with care and purpose. His thumb rests on the pulse point of her neck, so he can feel just how fast her heart is beating. Tenten presses closer to him, pulling on his bottom lip with her teeth. She slides her tongue into his mouth for a brief second before Neji pulls away.

Tenten looks down at the floor, instantly embarrassed. His hand is cradling the nape of her neck, and she can only hear their labored breathing until she hears Neji softly laugh.

She chances a glance at him. His face is red and his eyes are surprised, but not disappointed.

"I didn't realize you were a wild card," he whispers.

Tenten smirks. "You probably should have guessed that."

Neji thinks about this for a second, before kissing her again, this time too quick, too chaste, for Tenten to catch him. When he draws away, he leans his head against hers, eyes closed. Tenten watches him, absently running her tongue over her bottom lip. She wants him to kiss her again.

Neji cracks an eye open, inscrutable. "Thank you," he says.

Neji straightens, his hand slipping away from her neck to fall at his side. Tenten suppresses a shiver.

His mouth lifts into a half smile. "Think the paparazzi are still out front?"

"I would go out the back, just to be safe."

Neji nods and waves, heading down the hallway. Tenten's eyes stay on him until the elevator doors close.

She enters her apartment, head buzzing like she was tipsy. Tenten showers, and watches a little bit of television, but when her face appears on the small screen, she turns it off and decides to go to bed.

She texts Neji when she cuts the lights in her bedroom.

**This is serious, isn't it?**

Before she falls asleep, he responds, though Tenten didn't really require an answer. She already knew the truth.

_Yes, it is._

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _This is another Tumblr prompt, but I must admit that I didn't expect it to run away with me like it has. That being said, this will be a multi-chapter, but not a long one, maybe three parts. We'll see._

_Another note: The title of Part I, "curtain up" is an entertainment term that refers to the start of a performance, regardless of it is in the theater or not. Self-explanatory, really._

_Also, the title of the fic, "subtext" is also an acting term. It is the character's thoughts and emotions and motivations, which are hidden beneath their actions and words. But you guys knew that already, smarties. ;)_

_Questions? Responses? Please let me know!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Standard no ownage applies.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Part II: Feeding the Beast<em>**

They try to hide it for a few weeks, but when Neji and Tenten inevitably forget a studio event they're expected to attend, their publicists stage an intervention.

Tenten has always hated these offices. They are too dark and modern for her tastes. She stares at the black carpet, thinking that it would not be comfortable if she took her shoes off.

Neji sits next to her, across from their handlers, but he's not paying attention either. Inconspicuously, Tenten snakes a finger through his belt loop. Her fingertips brush his skin. Neji blinks and she can detect a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. He grasps her hand, laces their fingers together.

"You're both lucky this hasn't blown up in all of our faces," Shizune says, scrolling through her phone as Iruka types things out on his laptop.

"You can't blame us for wanting to keep it quiet," Tenten replies, liking how Neji's stroking her hand with his thumb. "The press would have gone ballistic."

"Which is why you should have told us," Iruka responds, raising his eyebrows, but not looking away from his computer. "Now we have to do damage control."

Neji shakes his head. "There isn't anything to control. If people knew, we would have seen evidence of it already."

"You two can't keep hiding it. It will come out eventually. We're lucky it hasn't gotten to the press yet. Iruka and I are drafting a press release now."

Tenten stares at her publicist. "You're kidding."

Shizune's expression tells her that she is not, in fact, kidding.

"What's the need for a press release? It's not like we're news," Tenten says.

"Oh, but you are." Shizune scrolls through her phone as she calls out facts, "Neji-kun is the most popular actor in his age group. People watch him like a hawk. Tenten, you're the sweetheart of television. You're rising on all of the social media outlets. This could make or break you."

"I'm dating him. This isn't a publicity maneuver."

Neither Iruka nor Shizune answer her, reviewing the release that Iruka had typed on his computer. Tenten sighs.

"They're right, you know," Neji says to her.

Tenten narrows her eyes. "How?"

"This could damage your career. If the media discovers it on their own, there's bound to be repercussions. And it could hurt you."

Tenten rolls her eyes. "This whole thing is ridiculous."

Neji turns back to Iruka and Shizune. "When are you doing the press release?"

"In the morning."

"Do we need to be there?"

Shizune makes a face. "Please, no. You've done enough already. Let us handle this."

"We'll be going then," Neji says, pulling Tenten to her feet.

"Just a second," Shizune says, holding up a finger. She hands Neji a single sheet of paper with faces on it. "Review these and get back to me."

"What is this?"

"Bodyguards. Select one and get back to me."

Tenten snatches the list from his hand. "You guys are crazy. We don't need a bodyguard."

"Except you do. As soon as this news breaks you're going to be swarmed with cameras all the time, everywhere. You've dealt with paparazzi before, but this will change the nature of it. Let me make this clear to both of you: for as long as you're together, people will want to photograph you and be in your personal business. And you have to let them, because you're celebrities. It's not fair, but that's reality. You're going to be needing a bodyguard."

Tenten scowls, but glances over the list. She taps the picture of the first choice—a lean guy with bushy black eyebrows.

* * *

><p>Tenten realizes that the press release is over the next day when her phone starts blowing up with texts, calls, and notifications from social media she's subscribed to.<p>

Jerkily, she juggles her coffee and purse as she scrolls through her phone, eyes narrowed.

_JUST IN: HYUGA NEJI DATES CO-STAR!_

_TENTEN AND NEJI—SECRET LOVE?!_

_CELEBRITIES WITHHOLD RELATIONSHIP—WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?_

The titles went on and on. Tenten grimaces—the comments from fans and the media were already climbing into the hundreds. She glances at the multiple videos popping up—a few are compilations of pictures of she and Neji together (mostly taken from their television show), but most are feeds from the press conference. Tenten pushes in her headphones and clicks on one; Shizune begins talking.

"Good morning, everyone. Iruka and I are here to address the rumors concerning our clients, Hyuga Neji and Tenten. There has been curiosity as to whether our clients are seeing each other romantically. At this time, we would like to confirm these rumors. Our clients would like to request their privacy be respected, as well as express their gratefulness to the support of their friends, family, and fans. We will take a couple of questions—"

Tenten swipes the video away, content with Shizune's explanation. Her phone buzzes with a text from Neji.

_Question._

Tenten replies, **Yeah?**

_Iruka has set up a television appearance for me on some talk show. They're bound to ask about us._

Tenten's forehead creased. **Are you asking my permission?**

_No. . . . I just don't know what they're going to ask me. I didn't know if you would be comfortable with it._

**I think you're more than capable of handling whatever they throw at you.**

Her confidence in him is real. The press was always a problem, but if they were managed correctly, then staying ahead wasn't too hard a task. And Neji had never shown incompetence in the face of the media before.

_Thanks for the vote of confidence. . . Do you want to get dinner tonight?_

Tenten bites her lip. Before she and Neji had left the meeting with their publicists the previous day, they both had strictly forbidden them from venturing out into public together until their bodyguard was hired. But there were alternatives.

**Yes. Come to my apartment.**

* * *

><p>Neji's uncle fixes him with an inscrutable stare. Neji sighs under its weight; he can already feel the storm brewing.<p>

He had hoped, of course, that his family's knowledge would be stemmed. However, Neji wouldn't be sitting in his uncle's office if his family were still unaware.

His uncle holds up a tabloid, eyes narrowed. "Would you care to explain, nephew?"

Neji studies the picture splashed on the cover. It is a photo that was taken a few weeks back, and it is not good quality. Both he and Tenten's backs are facing the camera, and their forms are blurry at best. However, he can clearly see his hand encompassing hers. Silently, Neji thinks that tabloids are always the most incriminating sources of reality.

He meets his uncle's gaze again, lifting his eyebrows slightly.

"You've met Tenten before," Neji reminds casually. "She's been my costar for several years."

"I know who she is. What I fail to understand is why you were in a secret relationship with her."

Neji pointedly glances at the tabloid. Some secret.

"Why did you keep this from us?"

_Ah, yes_, Neji thinks. _'Us'. The family, always used in collective. The way he says it is like it's an offense._

"Must I have the approval of the family for every person I spend my time with?" says Neji.

Hiashi raises an eyebrow at the apparent challenge, but declines to answer. They both know what his response would be.

Neji watches as his uncle shuts the tabloid in a drawer, and sink into his desk chair. He says tiredly, "You are no regular celebrity, Neji. You know that."

Yes, he does. Neji rubs his finger against his temple. He senses a lecture.

"The Hyuga name is not something that is so easily tarnished, but our family takes great care to prevent any type of scandal."

"Uncle, this is hardly a scandal."

His uncle's forehead creases. "Your . . . relationship with the girl is not what I'm referring to."

Neji swallows, suddenly nervous. His uncle reaches into another desk drawer and withdraws a letter that Neji thought he had mailed a week ago.

"I'm sure you know what this is," his uncle says in a whisper.

Neji exhales, attempting to control his temper. He clenches his fists in his lap.

"My mail is private," Neji says.

"It is being mailed from my address; I have every right to know what is leaving my home . . . or coming into it."

Neji stiffens, his eyes narrowing in frustration.

"You're planning on retiring, aren't you?"

Neji remains silent, wondering how effectively he can get out of this conversation. Hiashi looks over Neji's mail again, before removing a heavy manila envelope and handing it to his nephew.

"What is this?" Neji asks, suspicious.

"That is the script for the new movie you will begin filming in a few days. I signed the paperwork with Iruka this morning."

Neji grits his teeth. "You must be joking. I haven't heard anything about this."

"It's no joke. I am looking out for your best interests."

Neji shakes his head slowly, rifling through the paper. "This is not what I want. My career will end with the final season of _High School Crisis_. That's what I've decided."

"You're young. You have the support and admiration of the whole subcontinent. Why are you so determined to give it up? It could open so many doors for you—"

"This is not the path I want to walk, Uncle."

Hiashi's mouth thins, but his consternation remains.

"I will do the movie, because you've already signed the contract, and I would need to go through the legal system to back out. But you should know, Uncle, that if you seek to derail my wishes again, I will find legal counsel." Neji snatches his mail from his uncle's desk and disappears.

* * *

><p>Neji has been to Tenten's apartment numerous times over the past few weeks that they've been seeing each other, but he has never actually been <em>inside<em> said apartment. She lives on one of the penthouse floors in one of the newer hotels, but her living quarters are not as obnoxious as other celebrity living spaces that Neji has been to.

He hesitates outside of her door, strangely tense. He'd managed to dodge the paparazzi swimming around the front of the hotel by stuffing the majority of his long hair under his shirt. He'd worn a baseball cap for good measure, and he'd been successful in duping them—this time. Neji sighs, leaning his head against her front door. He knew he had to tell her, and he had to do it tonight. Iruka had already emailed him his plane ticket. Still, Neji didn't want to overload her, not like this, when they were just beginning to see each other. It was painfully unfair to be so heavy so soon.

_The cost of celebrity_, Neji thinks bitterly.

With a cruel sense of foreboding and anxiety, Neji knocks on the door. He hears her feet pad to the door, senses her cautiously looking through the peephole to check his identity. The lock slides back and Tenten stands before him, a small smile on her mouth.

"Nice disguise," she comments as she lets him in.

Neji smirks as he slips off his shoes. "Only the best," he replies.

Tenten half-heartedly gives him a tour of her apartment, but Neji can tell that she's as nervous as he is, probably for very different reasons.

Most of her living space is open with floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, and a large and spacious kitchen, which Neji doubts she uses much, noting the pizza boxes sitting on the counter.

"I'm not much of a cook, so I hope this is okay," Tenten says, opening one box.

Neji nods. He can't remember the last time he had pizza—it was never served at his home, and all of the social events he attended had only fancy appetizers like quiche or shrimp puffs. Neji pulls a slice from the pie and chews, sighing as he smells the cheese. Tenten smiles at the look of bliss in his expression.

"Um, so, what do you want to do?" Tenten asks. Her fingers fidget with the pizza box. Neji wonders if it's the location of this particular date that's making them so edgy, or just the mere fact that they are truly alone, with no others to see them or find them or take pictures of them.

"When was the last time you watched a movie where you weren't being forced?" Neji asks.

Tenten thinks for a second, her forehead furrowing. Neji suppresses a smile.

"I have no idea," she says, shaking her head in surprise. She looks up at him. "Isn't that crazy? That you forget about normal things like that? That you don't do those things on a regular basis?"

Neji stares at the pizza box a little sadly. "Come on," he says to her, grasping her hand and picking up the box with his other hand.

He leads her to the living room where her television is. It is then that Tenten points out that her movie selection is very slim, but Neji decides to look anyway.

When he holds up a kung-fu movie dated from at least twenty years ago, Tenten blushes like she's embarrassed. "Don't make fun, but that's one of my favorite movies of all time."

Neji's mouth quirks as he pops open the case and inserts it into the DVD player.

"Are you sure?" Tenten asks, skeptical, as he sits down next to her on the couch.

"Positive," he murmurs, throwing his arm around her shoulders.

It takes her a second, but Tenten nestles into the crook of his arm.

* * *

><p>Tenten doesn't realize how tired she is until Neji wakes her up. The television is blue, the movie long over. She rubs her eyes, feeling guilty for falling asleep on him in the middle of their date.<p>

"I'm sorry," she says.

It is a little hard to see him—the only light in the room is the blue from the television. She had fallen asleep with her head on the couch cushion, her feet in his lap. Tenten sits up, anxious to know what he's thinking.

Neji's hand glides to her neck, and he pulls her close, his mouth grazing hers. Tenten places a hand on his chest, all self-consciousness fleeing from her mind for the moment.

"Don't apologize," Neji says against her mouth. Tenten feels shivers run down her spine. He kisses her again, and Tenten is thankful for the dark, for the silence, for the lack of people. Because they could never be so forward in public.

"I have something to talk to you about," Neji mutters as they part, carefully avoiding her gaze.

Tenten's focus sharpens. Neji says, "I'm leaving for Seoul in a couple of days."

"Why?" she asks, confused. Surely he had other commitments here that took precedent over leaving the country?

"I've been signed to a movie role. We begin filming at the end of the week."

Tenten leans back against the couch, processing this information. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because I was not aware that I had this role until this afternoon."

Tenten's forehead wrinkles. "Did Iruka really overlook that?"

"No," Neji sighs, rubbing his eyes. "My uncle committed me to the role without my knowledge."

Tenten waits for a more concise explanation. She knows only a little about Neji's family, other than the rumors that circulate among the cast and crew members on their show.

"My family is . . . controlling," Neji says. "I'm sure you're aware of how I got introduced into the industry."

"You were discovered at a play in primary school."

Neji inclines his head in agreement. "My uncle was made my legal guardian after my parents passed away. The talent agent was fairly persistent; he thought I had legitimate promise. My uncle was sold—I started signing commercials regularly the next month. My acting career kind of took off after that.

"Anyway, my family is very prestigious. The Hyuga name carries with it a lot of respect in the older, wealthier circles of corporate Japan. My success in the entertainment industry brought my family a whole new realm of influence. My uncle has been acting as my manager ever since I started getting really big roles."

Neji glances at Tenten, sliding his hand over to lock their fingers together. "The thing is, all the rumors about me are true. I don't want to be an actor, regardless of how good I am at it. I want to be able to live my life outside the control of my family and the focus of the media. I just want to be normal, for once, and make my own decisions. Which is why," Neji squeezes her hand, "after the final season of the show, I'm retiring from acting. For good."

Tenten stares at him, a little stunned. Sure, people had talked about Neji's supposed retirement plans for years, but she'd never believed he would actually go through with it.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes," Neji answers, his face expressing his certainty. "I'm applying to pursue my master's degree at my university. I'm already really ahead of where most students are at my age."

Tenten tries not to gape. "What?! When did you decide this?"

"Several months ago. I was planning on telling you. . . I just didn't know how or when to bring it up." _And I didn't want to completely scare you off_, he thinks to himself.

Tenten withdraws her hand from his, crossing her arms as she ruminates. "You're just going to quit? Just like that?"

"I know that it will take some transition, but this is something I've wanted for a really long time," Neji tells her carefully. "My dream has never included world recognition and status. I just want to get through school without cameras being shoved in my face."

Tenten stands to her feet and goes to look out the wall of windows, needing distance to process. The city lights are gleaming below. The skyscrapers that surround the hotel are businesses, so thankfully her apartment remains dark at night. She looks down to the streets below, and then out to the twinkling, distant lights of the ships in the harbor.

She feels Neji's presence behind her.

"I'm sorry that I had to tell you like this," he says softly. "I never meant to drop all of this on you so soon. I wanted to work up to it, but . . . it wasn't exactly my decision. And I didn't feel right leaving with you not knowing."

Wordlessly, Tenten turns to him, feeling her heart pound a little. She places her hands around his neck and pulls him closer. Neji's hands hesitantly come to rest on her waist. She feels her back press against the glass.

She can see him better now, and his eyes are shocking as ever—steady as they gaze down at her, a lingering sense of frustration in his brow, all suppressed by a clear desire for her acceptance and approval. Tenten wonders how she learned to read him so quickly, or if he was just doing her a favor.

"We said this was serious, didn't we?" she asks.

Neji nods silently. Tenten absently wets her lips. "How did we get to this point?"

Neji exhales and leans into her, his forehead pressing against hers. "Do you really want to know?"

Tenten is itching to kiss him, to set things right with his life. And she's surprised by her connection to this man, how strong it is, how protective she feels over him.

_When did this happen?_ she asks herself.

"This is fate," Neji tells her quietly, and the words are weighty enough to send nerve endings prickling across Tenten's skin.

She smiles a little, mocking him. "I don't believe in fate," she informs him.

Neji moves his hand from her waist to her hip, his other alighting on her chin to tilt her face up. He kisses her gently and says, "I guess it's my duty to make you a believer, then."

To Tenten, it sounds both like a promise and a challenge.

* * *

><p>"Hyuga-san, we are so honored to have you on our show!"<p>

Neji smiles briefly, though mentally he is counting down to when he can leave. His time is short; his flight for Seoul departs in a few hours, and he wants to see Tenten again before he leaves, if possible.

"Thank you for having me," he answers, looking to the two hosts.

The television interview Iruka signed him up for is more like a variety show for celebrities than a straightforward interview like in a magazine. When Neji walked on set, he immediately came to the realization that his relationship with Tenten would be thoroughly probed during his thirty-minute segment. And a live audience was present to see it all. Fabulous.

"That season finale of _High School Crisis_ was certainly a shock to many fans! Can you tell us what we have to look forward to in the next season?"

Neji gives a well-rehearsed, obligatory answer that the studio would be happy with. Being under contract, he was strictly limited in what information he could give about the show. His hosts attempt to pry a little more out of him, but Neji deflects their efforts with his usual amount of charm.

"We also hear that you will be starring in a new movie, which starts shooting this week in Seoul! The director, Hatake-sama, stated that it will be a period drama about a gangster and the woman who steals his heart! Your costar will be Haruno Sakura; are you looking forward to working with her?"

Neji has never worked with Haruno Sakura, but he has met her twice before, in passing. She was infamous for her pink hair, a dyed tribute to her stage name. From what he could tell, she was a decent actress with a kind disposition.

"I am very pleased to have the privilege of working alongside Haruno-san through filming. I'm sure that she will be a very agreeable partner."

There are dithers from the crowd and the hosts, swooning over his eloquence.

"Speaking of partners, the media has been shell-shocked with the news that you are officially dating your onscreen love interest, Tenten." A brief clip of the press conference is shown, along with a smattering of poorly taken pictures. "Hyuga-san, can you give us the details to how this relationship with Tenten-san developed? I'm sure all of your fans are very curious to know, straight from the horse's mouth!"

Neji wonders how to make his answer as vague and unsatisfying as possible. He says, "Well, my fans will know that Tenten and I have known each other ever since the beginning of _High School Crisis_, which aired three years ago. We have had an interesting companionship." He almost winces at his weak explanation. Usually he was good at these types of things.

"'Interesting companionship', you say," muses one of the hosts, leaning forward so her hair falls to brush her cheek. "What do you mean by that, Hyuga-san?"

"What I mean to say is that Tenten is someone that I respect very much, and it is an honor to work with her as closely as I do." Neji inwardly compliments himself, _Nice recovery._

The male host pipes up, "You speak of respect and honor, Hyuga-san, but where is your romance?"

The audience oohs and calls out for an answer, curiosity stoked. Neji silently curses Iruka for putting him through this.

Neji attempts another dodge, a more apparent one this time. "My fans know that I value my privacy very much, and I feel that my relationships shouldn't become a spectator sport. Tenten and I are just beginning our relationship, and it would be helpful if the media would respect that by giving us our privacy."

The crowd lets out their disappointment in sighs. The hosts look visibly put out. Neji keeps a small smile in place, though it's a strain.

"I'm sure Tenten-san will miss you very much while you are filming in Seoul," says the woman host, dabbing at her eye for fake tears.

Neji decides to throw them some scraps, just to get them off his back. "If she's not too busy with her schedule, I am hoping she will fly out to visit me during filming."

The audience is won back, their coos echoing around the studio. The hosts are appeased. Neji can see their boss nodding approvingly offstage.

Neji smiles pleasantly until commercial.

* * *

><p>Neji is taking a small private plane to Seoul. Tenten knows he detests it—he's made his thoughts on celebrity privileges very clear.<p>

She's waiting for him to arrive from his television interview, sitting in her own chauffeured car. The interview is already online, and Tenten has just finished watching it, a small smirk on her mouth.

Neji's black car pulls up and she gets out. He is helping his chauffer get out his bags to load in the plane when she walks over. His face is guarded, eyes searching hers.

"You really hated that interview, didn't you?" Tenten greets.

Neji rolls his eyes, shutting the car trunk. "They could use a little more tact."

"You know that that's not what they're there for."

Neji inclines his head to her in agreement. They walk slowly towards the waiting plane. His hand finds hers.

"Did you mean it?" she asks him.

"Mean what?"

"That you would want me to come see you in Seoul."

Neji turns to look at her as they reach the stairs, trying not to let the hopefulness in his eyes spill all down his face.

"If you're not too busy. . . Don't feel like you have to."

"I feel like you'll be the busy one," Tenten says. "Won't you be filming all the time?"

"My nights are free," Neji mutters, and Tenten feels a blush rise on her cheeks. She punches him half-heartedly in the arm.

"I'll think about it and let you know," she says, liking the power she tastes in those words.

Neji shakes his head and kisses her for a good minute, trying to steal some of the control back. He doesn't succeed. When he pulls away, Tenten looks absolutely smug.

She stands on her toes and kisses him hard, before pulling away. Her eyebrow is raised. "Text me when you get there?"

Neji nods, leaning against the stair railing as she slips back into her car. And he feels like he's a goner, because his heart clenches in a particularly painful way when the car disappears from his sight.

* * *

><p>Tenten first meets Lee the bodyguard when he practically gives her a heart attack as she exits her apartment for the day. Tenten clutches her chest, leaning back against the door as she catches her breath. She runs a quick eye over him, and is a little repulsed by the amount of green he has chosen to wear.<p>

"Tenten-san, I am Rock Lee, your hired bodyguard! It will be an honor to serve you and Hyuga Neji when he returns from Seoul!" he bows to her deeply at the waist.

Personally, Tenten is a little alarmed at the volume of his proclamation, a mix between a shout and an unintelligible yell. Tenten squints at him.

"Aren't you a little young to be a bodyguard?" she asks.

"I promise you that my age has never prevented me from accomplishing my duties! I have been trained extensively in the martial arts, as well as alternative forms of—" He goes on to list several intimidating-sounding forms of exercise that Tenten has never heard of, and doesn't necessarily want to witness.

"I'm sure you're . . . adequate in your duties. I was just saying that I didn't expect you to be my age."

Lee just grins and bobs his head, causing his bowl-cut to swish. "My youth supplies me with a great sense of agility, Tenten-san. I promise that I will not fail you or Hyuga-san."

Tenten treats him to a half-smile, bemused and pleased at the same time.

"Where are we headed today?!" Lee asks.

Tenten shakes her head, leading the way to the elevator.

* * *

><p>She soon comes to realize that Lee never seems to expend his energy. When she's on the phone with Neji later that night, she recounts her day with their new bodyguard.<p>

"He just speaks at this volume that's like, three decibels louder than everyone else. And he got excited by everything or saw it as something to conquer." Tenten cradles her forehead in her hand, tired to the point of exhaustion.

Neji softly chuckles on the other side of the line. Tenten can tell in his voice that he's fighting distraction.

"How was shooting today?"

Neji sighs, "Fine . . . just tedious is all. Hatake-san thinks that Sakura-san and I lack chemistry."

Tenten's eyebrows draw together. "What does that mean?"

Neji's exhale is heavier than his last. She imagines him running a hand over his face. "It means that Sakura-san and I are expected to spend time outside of shooting getting to know each other."

Tenten bites the inside of her cheek, mulling over this news. "The press is going to have a field day," she says eventually.

"Yes, they will," Neji agrees. "You know they'll play this against us."

Tenten is silent, thinking about the media and its power over their lives. "Yeah, I know."

"I guess what I'm trying to ask is: do you trust me?"

Tenten thinks about this man she's known for such a long time, yet is only just now discovering. How sure was she that he could be trusted?

"Yes, Neji, I trust you," Tenten says, telling herself that she isn't lying. She does trust him. She wouldn't be dating him if she didn't, right?

* * *

><p>The headlines hit over the next few weeks with particular fervor. Iruka and Shizune had anticipated the backlash, and they had prepared accordingly.<p>

"No," they assured on different media outlets, "our clients' relationship is intact and doing just fine, thank you. Hyuga-san is being seen with Haruno-san at the request of their director. No, they are not seeing each other. . ." And so on.

Tenten attempts to stay away from the critiques, but she can only ignore so much—she does live in this world, after all. From South Korea, Neji does what he can to reassure her—ironically on the phone with her as he drives to meet Sakura for dinner.

Tenten works an ulcer in her mouth from biting her cheek so much. She looks ahead to her schedule, clears some space, and buys a plane ticket.

Tenten is not delusional enough to tell herself that she doesn't have her share of doubts. Instead, she blames her insecurities on the fact that she and Neji have only just started seeing each other exclusively, and really, how is she supposed to be confident in this man's character, who she knows so little about?

On the plane ride to Seoul, Tenten scans her media feeds and latches onto a title: _HYUGA NEJI, PLAYBOY?_ Tenten wants to roll her eyes at such a ridiculous suggestion, but a part of her, however small, wonders. She's seen countless celebrities—both men and women—be scorned by lovers in the limelight. Should she really expect to be so different?

And that was probably the cruelest thing about the whole business of entertainment—it was like a beast that was un-tamable, only satisfied when it was being fed. If the fuel faltered, it ate the provider instead.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So, I'm aware that it moves pretty fast, but it's intentional, I promise.**

**Thanks always for reviewing/reading! It really spurs me on to keep writing.**

**Please let me know what you think? Suggestions? Questions? Just general comments? I'll take 'em.**


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